Question 1

Do I need to sign up to use the playground?

Accepted Answer

No. The AlterLab playground lets you run up to 10 live scraping tests completely free, with no account or API key required. Just paste a URL and click Run.

Question 2

How many free tests can I run in the playground?

Accepted Answer

You can run up to 10 free scraping tests per session without signing up. For unlimited access and higher rate limits, sign up for a free AlterLab account — no credit card required.

Question 3

What types of websites can I scrape?

Accepted Answer

AlterLab works with a wide range of publicly accessible websites — news sites, job boards, real estate platforms, e-commerce catalogues, and JavaScript-heavy single-page applications. It automatically selects the right rendering tier based on each site's complexity.

Question 4

Does the playground support JavaScript rendering?

Accepted Answer

Yes. AlterLab uses a tiered approach: Tier 1 is fast HTTP for simple pages, while Tier 3 and Tier 4 use full Playwright browser automation for JavaScript-heavy sites. The system automatically selects the right tier based on the target website.

Question 5

What output formats does the playground support?

Accepted Answer

The playground returns results in multiple formats: Markdown (clean, LLM-ready text), JSON (structured data), HTML (raw page source), and plain Text. You can select which formats to request in the configuration panel.

Question 6

How do I use the playground results in my own code?

Accepted Answer

After a successful scrape, the playground automatically generates ready-to-use code in cURL, Python, and Node.js. Copy the snippet and replace YOUR_API_KEY with your key from the AlterLab dashboard. Get your free API key at alterlab.io.

Question 7

How does AlterLab handle JavaScript-heavy and complex websites?

Accepted Answer

AlterLab uses a multi-tier rendering system that automatically adapts to each website's complexity. Tier 1 uses fast HTTP for lightweight pages, while Tier 3 and Tier 4 use full Playwright browser automation with residential IP rotation for sites that require JavaScript execution or dynamic rendering. The system escalates tiers automatically — no manual configuration needed.

Question 8

How is the playground different from the full API?

Accepted Answer

The playground is limited to 10 free tests per session and uses a shared demo key. The full API (available after free signup) supports unlimited requests, custom API keys, Python and Node.js SDKs, session management, BYOP proxy support, and priority rate limits.